In 2010, Whisky Magazine honored this whisky as the Blended Malt Whisky of the Year. It features peppery and salty notes complemented by hints of prunes, dried orange, walnut, and ginger. This whisky is occasionally found in very limited quantities.
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka, traveled to Scotland in 1918 to master the art of whisky making. With a background in Organic Chemistry, he apprenticed at several Scottish distilleries. Living briefly in Campbeltown with his Scottish wife, he worked at Hazelburn distillery. Upon returning to Japan, he played a key role in establishing Yamazaki with Shinjiro Torii. In 1934, Taketsuru opened his inaugural distillery, Yoichi, located on Hokkaido.
